New Zealand’s Whanganui River is a “living person” by law
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Under the law, a “legal person” is any person or ‘thing’ that can do the things an everyday person can usually do (like, sign contracts, file cases, own land, etc). Even if it’s not a human being, a “legal person” has rights and responsibilities similar to a living being. Apart from people, companies are also considered “persons” legally.
In a rare case, the Whanganui River in New Zealand was also made a “legal person” by the government. This river, officially known as Te Awa Tupua, is the first river in the world to be considered a legal person.
This official recognition of the river aims to acknowledge the historical and cultural importance of the river to New Zealand’s Maori tribal people. It also aims to save the river and surrounding areas from pollution.
Who are the Maori people?
The Maori people are the Indigenous (original) Polynesian people of New Zealand. The name for New Zealand in the Maori language is Aotearoa.
New Zealand became a colony of Britain (similar to India) from 1841 to 1907. After colonialists came, Whanganui River became very polluted due to industries, etc. The Maori tribals fought to save the river for many, many years. They protested and filed cases and requested the government.
Finally, in 2017, it became the first river in the world to be considered a legal person. Now, it has two guardians appointed to speak on its behalf and cannot be treated carelessly.
Other countries
Other countries have also followed New Zealand’s example. Bangladesh has given all its rivers legal rights while India has made the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers legal persons.
Watch a video of the Whanganui river below. Video credit: Department of Conservation/Youtube
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